Local land charges

Please note that as of 17th July 2017:

Customers conducting personal searches seeking answers to CON29/CON29O questions and those submitting Full Local Authority Searches which include CON29O questions will be directed wherever possible to information held on line. Please see the section on ‘Personal Searches’ below for further information.

Fees will be increased for CON29O and Additional Questions to £50 per question.

Please note: Our turnaround time is currently 10 working days.

About this service

The Local Land Charges Service provides full local authority searches. These are usually required when you are buying property and give you information about planning applications, planned developments, highway schemes and financial charges that affect the property you are interested in.

These searches will often be arranged by your solicitors, when they are dealing with your house purchase. They ensure that you are aware of all relevant facts about the property you are interested in purchasing, before you make the final decision to buy. Searches are usually requested by your solicitor/licensed conveyancer and they will either require a Full Local Authority search to be carried out by the Local Authority or they will organise a ‘personal search’ to be carried out.

Full Local Authority search

A 'Full Local Authority search' consist of two elements:

LLC1 Requisition for Search

This relates to all charges that are held on the Local Land Charges Register, and includes matters such as smoke control, any outstanding financial claim, restriction, decision or information which may affect a particular property or parcel of land, charges for such services as roads, restrictions such as conditions imposed on planning permissions, legal agreements and listed buildings.

Con 29: Enquiries of the local authority

This form has a series of 'warning' questions' about anything that is planned that may affect the property. It is in two parts:

Con 29 (R) Required Enquiries of the Local Authority (2007) Edition

Enquiries 1-3 deal with enquiries relating to planning, highways and environmental services, which may affect the property or land. Answers to these enquiries are required on all occasions;

Con 29 (O) Optional Enquiries of the Local Authority (2007) Edition

Enquiries 4-22 are charged for individually. Each question relates to a specific situation, such as high hedges or public footpaths.

There are two standard forms for a Full Local Authority search. Either your solicitor will fill in these forms, or you can get them from a legal stationer.

Personal search

Personal searches can be carried out by anyone. Although, they are normally done by a ‘Personal Search Agent’ that has been instructed by a solicitor/conveyancer.

This involves examining the 'Local Land Charges Register', which can be viewed at Halifax Customer First (Horton Street, Halifax).

It also involves seeking answers to some 'CON29 questions' and in some instances 'CON29O questions' from the Local Authority.

Until 16th July 2017, requested answers to required CON29/CON29O questions (other than 4a/4b) will be given in response to CON29/CON29O form submissions.

Note: From 17th July 2017, customers will be asked to obtain information that is publically available themselves.

CON29 and CON29O questions

For the full list of CON29 questions that can be answered from 17th July 2017, see: CON29.

For the full list of CON29O (optional) questions that can be answered from 17th July 2017, see: CON29O .

How to Submit a Full Local Authority search

Submit your 'Local Authority search' request on the standard forms. These can then be:

posted to Local Land Charges, C/O The Town Hall, Halifax, HX1 1UJ, with the fee; or

emailed to locallandcharges@calderdale.gov.uk . Note: Post your cheque to the address above. We must be able to tie your payment to the relevant search, so please enclose a covering letter that identifies the search address.

Note: Cheques should be made payable to 'Calderdale MBC'.

There are also various search companies that can submit your search for you.

Please note: We cannot process your request unless you provide a clear Ordnance Survey plan, with your property highlighted on it. We will only search our records within the boundary of the site that you have identified. It is important that this is shown accurately.

The timescale for returning your search results will not begin until we receive this plan and the relevant fee.

Fees

Service

Fee

Fee as of 17th July 2017

VAT element

Local authority full search

£168.20

Same (includes VAT)

£24.20

Local land charge search (LLC1)

£23

Same

N/A

LLC1 additional parcel of land

£1

Same

N/A

CON29 - required enquiries

£145.20

Same (includes VAT)

£24.20

CON29 - optional enquiries, including enquiry 22 (per question)

£12

£50 each (includes VAT)

£8.33

CON29 additional enquiry

£33.60

£50 (includes VAT)

£8.33

Con 29 additional parcel of land

£37

Same (includes VAT)

£6.17

Personal search

No charge

Same

N/A

*Clarification questions

N/A

£100 (includes VAT)

£16.67

*Where further clarification is required on a response to a search. This will cover the costs of any documentation that is made available.